Chapter Sixty: Old Tang—A Million for My Trust, A Divine Weapon for You

Two days later

“Hoo—”
After finishing his spiritual cultivation once more, Lu Mingfei slowly opened his eyes. He could sense that his control over his spirit had greatly improved, yet he was still a long way from being able to use his spiritual domain across worlds.

During these two days, there had been both good news and bad news.
The good news: Mengmo had made a breakthrough. Now, even if Furina wasn't afraid of the Servant, she could still pull her into the dream.
The bad news: Mengmo was uncontrollable. Even if Lu Mingfei and Furina didn't intend to pull the Servant into the dream, she would still get dragged in inexplicably.

It was now almost certain that the act of pulling the Servant in had little to do with Furina’s will, and not much more with Lu Mingfei’s own; it was as if some third party, capable of connecting the two of them, was deliberately targeting the Servant!

Could there really be a third party between us?!

Lu Mingfei shook his head vigorously, thinking to himself, “How could I be having such a nightmare?”

But the reality was this: whenever Lu Mingfei wanted to snuggle with Furina alone in the dream, Mengmo would always inexplicably pull the Servant in.

Every time Mengmo activated, the Servant would appear on that long bench in Fontain City. Even if she didn’t want to come, she would inevitably show up there.

And every time, the Servant sitting on the bench would wear an expression of pain, helplessness, despair, and annoyance all jumbled together. She simply couldn’t understand why Lu Mingfei had to pull her over every single day—once at night when she was sleeping, once again during her morning nap, and yet again for her afternoon siesta.

Three times a day—more diligent than meals!

Seriously, will you two ever stop?

At first, the Servant thought there must be some business to discuss, which was why they kept bringing her in. But there wasn’t. They were just pulling her in as usual, perhaps as a show of force? Maybe?

In the beginning, Lu Mingfei and Furina would still put on a show, maintaining their mysterious airs and uttering grandiose but meaningless words, leaving the Servant awestruck—after all, she could sense that Lu Mingfei was genuinely formidable.

But soon she realized something was off—who uses intimidation tactics like this?

Mengmo had become as routine as clocking in for work. At first, they’d act for a bit, but later, she’d barely be in for five seconds before hearing someone say, “Alright, today’s check-in is complete. You can scram now. Off you go!”

Then she’d promptly get kicked out...

Are you two nuts?

In fact, are you both nuts?!

Every night, without fail, Mengmo would be used, and the timing for pulling her in was utterly arbitrary. But that wasn’t even the main source of her anger. The crux of the matter was that she needed her sleep too. Being yanked into a dream mid-slumber only to be booted out within five seconds made it impossible to get a good rest.

Insomnia!

Now, the Servant had started suffering from insomnia. The maddening feeling of being inexplicably unable to sleep soundly, for no reason and no meaningful purpose, really made her furious. Sometimes, she earnestly wanted to sit down with Lu Mingfei for a talk.

But then again, it wasn’t that big a deal. She felt there was no real need to bring it up; it would only make her seem less dignified in Lu Mingfei and Furina’s eyes. Yet keeping silent left her aggrieved...

This feeling was truly exasperating!

And she wasn’t the only one with a headache. In the Cardinal Tribunal, the goddess Furina was equally puzzled.

“I’ve transferred her so many times, why isn’t the Servant dead yet? How troublesome.”

...

At school, between classes

“Mingfei, don’t you think what we’re doing is a bit too unfriendly to the Servant? Dragging her in every time like this leaves me feeling uneasy,” Furina sighed.

“It really isn’t too nice, but I swear, I’m not treating her as an enemy. Do you think maybe you’re still afraid of her? Is that why Mengmo keeps targeting the Servant?” Lu Mingfei replied, feeling helpless.

“No way. I see her every day—how could I possibly still be afraid? I have you now, so I’m not scared anymore. Boohoo—” Furina’s tone sounded a bit odd, as if she were lying on her desk, half-coquettish.

“Alright, alright, my brave Furina. How could you possibly fear someone like her?”

“Mm-hmm. How are things on your end? Nothing dangerous, right?”

“What danger could there be? It’s just the usual—going to school, studying, cultivating my spirit. It’s all routine stuff, nothing serious.”

Just then, a message alert chimed on Lu Mingfei’s phone. As he opened it, he muttered to himself, “A message from Old Tang. I wonder what he wants now.”

Old Tang: Who are you?

Lu Mingfei: Lu Mingfei, don’t you remember?

Old Tang: That’s not what I meant. I’m asking—which king are you? That cultivation technique could never have been written by an unknown nobody.

Reading Old Tang’s message, Lu Mingfei burst out laughing. “I just sent you a cultivation method and you’re already playing along? Interesting. This is exactly the kind of thing Old Tang would do—he’s never been very proper, and indulging in a bit of teenage fantasy is normal for him.”

So he replied: Ha, who would have thought? After hiding among humans for so long, you still discovered me. You must also be one of the noble First Kings, right?

Old Tang: Very good, you have a sharp eye. Since you helped revive me, I am willing to grant you great power and endless wealth. I shall allow you to stand with me at the pinnacle of the world.

Lu Mingfei: I am the King of the Tides, with the power to command the seas and the waves. From now on, you shall rule the earth, and I shall dominate the oceans. Together, we will govern this world.

Old Tang: Excellent! Well said! Send me a million and I’ll bestow you with a mighty alchemical weapon.

Lu Mingfei almost choked with laughter. “Old Tang really gets the memes. That ‘Qin Shihuang, bank transfer me fifty’ joke is done perfectly—so smooth.”

But money was not something he could just send off. He didn’t have much himself, and whether he’d have enough in the future was still a question. So he had to refuse, but to directly reject in this kind of role-play would be undignified; he still wanted to keep playing.

Lu Mingfei: A true king does not make empty promises across the endless web. Come, stand before me in person, and let us discuss how to rule the world side by side—let all mankind know who truly reigns.

Old Tang: Very well. Wait for me to prepare, and I’ll come to you soon. China, right? Send me your address.

Lu Mingfei: [Address]

Old Tang: Let me see how this land has changed.

Lu Mingfei: I look forward to your arrival.

After putting down his phone, Lu Mingfei couldn’t suppress his grin. He laughed aloud, nearly out of breath. In a way, Old Tang's performance was truly excellent; he really sold the act.

This guy understands. No wonder he’s my brother!
Anyone else would have been thrown off by this kind of over-the-top exchange. So cool.

“What are you chatting about, laughing so happily?”
Su Xiaoqiang leaned over to ask, a hint of wariness in her eyes, as if afraid Lu Mingfei had found a new confidante.

“My friend’s having a bout of adolescent delusions, just talking nonsense.”
Without hesitation, Lu Mingfei opened his phone and shoved their chat log in front of her. That’s what true brothers do—no secrets.

“Hmm... he’s pretty far gone.”
Su Xiaoqiang watched Lu Mingfei’s decisive gesture and read the conversation carefully. She felt very content inside; it didn’t matter if the chat itself was interesting.

“Right?”
Lu Mingfei instinctively slid the chat log back, but in doing so, Su Xiaoqiang caught a glimpse of the account he’d labeled as Senior Brother Chu.

“Hey, you have Chu Zihang’s QQ number? And you chatted recently?” Su Xiaoqiang asked.

“I plan to attend his university after graduation, so we’ve been talking lately. What, you interested in Senior Brother Chu? Want me to introduce you?” Lu Mingfei smoothly retrieved his phone and explained, then flashed a mischievous grin and nudged her with his elbow.

“You’re going to Senior Brother Chu’s university? Which school is it? I’d like to know more.”
Su Xiaoqiang’s eyes flashed, and the spot where Lu Mingfei nudged her felt ticklish—a strange feeling warmed her heart.

“Cassell College, an overseas university.”

Lu Mingfei replied.
Her unusual reaction made him more certain she might be interested in Senior Brother Chu. After all, she had liked Chu Zihang before; only after he left did she shift her attention to Zhao Menghua, Chu Zihang’s “second.”

“I’ll see if I can get in.”
Su Xiaoqiang clenched her fist quietly.

“Don’t bother. Cassell College is a very special place—ordinary people can’t get in. No amount of effort will help.” Lu Mingfei said bluntly.

He knew her family situation well, and with her personality, once she learned about Cassell College, she’d likely spend money and energy trying to pull strings. But in the end, it was a dragon-slaying school; her connections wouldn’t move the needle. She’d waste her money and effort and get nothing. He didn’t want her to end up like that, so better to be upfront.

“So how did you get in?”

“I was recommended.”

“How did you get the recommendation?”

Lu Mingfei hesitated. He got in because of his bloodline, but outright saying that didn’t seem right. If he gave any other reason, it might give her false hope and unrealistic expectations. What to do?

Of course—Senior Brother Chu!

This was all because of him, so he should handle it. Yes, just like that.

“Here, add Senior Brother Chu’s QQ. I can’t explain everything, but you can ask him. He’ll make it clear. I’ll send you his number.” Lu Mingfei said while sending the message.

“Alright, I’ll give it a try.”
Proudly, Su Xiaoqiang picked up her phone. Lu Mingfei’s message was pinned at the top—clearly, he was set as her priority.

Copy number, add on QQ, verification...

Chu Zihang approved instantly. Judging by his speed, he’d probably set Lu Mingfei as a special contact; otherwise, he couldn’t reply so fast every time—it couldn’t be coincidence.

Her fingers flew across the screen, sending message after message. She watched intently, as if staring at her own future, her own life.

But soon, disappointment clouded her face. She raised her head, then resumed typing quickly, sending more messages, as if trying different approaches. Her determined look seemed to say, “My fate is mine, not the heavens’.”

“How did it go?” Lu Mingfei asked.

“Chu Zihang said enrollment is full this year—you’re the last one in. Connections don’t work at Cassell College; the school sticks to its rules.” Su Xiaoqiang sighed in disappointment.

“Then there’s nothing you can do.”
Lu Mingfei spread his hands helplessly.

“How about... you take the college entrance exam with me and go to a top domestic university? I’ll cover your meals, and even your housing,” Su Xiaoqiang said, putting down her phone and looking into his eyes.

“Huh? Why me?”
Lu Mingfei instinctively shrank back.

Su Xiaoqiang opened her mouth, then closed it again, as if she’d made up her mind but faltered at the last step. Finally, she grinned mischievously, like a buddy, and said:

“Bro, you seem pretty nice.”

Lu Mingfei: ???

“If you really have no other options, I wouldn’t mind catching you.” The little diva laughed.

She knew Lu Mingfei too well. In high school, she was keenly aware of his circle. That familiarity meant she never felt pressured. With no real competition, she could afford to slack off, act timid, or pretend to be just friends. When she finally worked up the courage, she’d make her move and confess—there was still time.

Then again...

Lately, it seemed more and more alluring girls were interested in Lu Mingfei. What a hassle~

But for the sake of her future, she had to keep them at bay. And when he saw her doing that, he always smiled so happily.

He must like me too, right?

After all, no one in this world knows him better or is closer to him than I am. If love had a progress bar, I’d have filled it further than anyone else.

“Didn’t you like Chu Zihang? Why catch me? I’m just a nobody, forget it.”

“Nobody? You’re a celebrity at Shilan High now—your fame rivals Chu Zihang’s. And you’re Lu Mingfei, not Chu Zihang’s second. You have great prospects.” As she spoke, her eyes grew wild, like a lioness eyeing her prey.

“Whoa, don’t scare me! If you keep it up, I’ll run for it!” Lu Mingfei said warily.

“I’m kidding. Just friends.”

“Oh, you had me worried.”

“Heh.”